Apr 3: Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the government soon will reveal how it plans to set up the national disability insurance scheme.

As the finishing touches are being put to the 2012/13 federal budget to be delivered on May 8, Ms Gillard told reporters in western Sydney on Tuesday the government was committed to a national scheme to fund disability services in the long-term.

"Like Medicare is a complex system and you need to get every aspect of it right, a national disability insurance scheme is a complex system and you need to get every aspect of that right too," she said.

"A national disability insurance scheme is a complex system and you need to get every aspect of that right too."

That mean the scheme in full was "some time away".

"But I am hoping in coming weeks to be able to have something more to say about way in which we will build an NDIS."

The scheme would be a "great Labor reform" in the same vein as Medicare.

"The NDIS will change for all time the way in which people with disabilities get care and support," she said.

Ms Gillard said the federal budget would be "tough".

"But even against the backdrop of a tough budget it is our role to make sure we are always prioritising the needs of those who need our care the most," she said.

Source: http://news.smh.com.au